Tag: a proper romance

A follow-up to Josi S. Kilpack’s bestselling Proper Romance title The Vicar’s Daughter.

Lenora Wilton has spent her life hiding behind the keys of her beloved pianoforte and the vibrancy of her younger sister, Cassie. But Lenora is ready for a change and travels to Bath to live with her Aunt Gwen and teach music at an all-girls’ boarding school. She is different in Bath—more comfortable with herself—and enjoys the freedom and independence of her new life there.

When Lenora meets Aiden Asher, she finds herself attracted to him, but her unexpected feelings become more complicated when she learns that Catherine—Lenora’s newest and most troublesome student in the school—is Mr. Asher’s niece. Catherine is a difficult student, and Lenora works hard to make progress with the girl.

When the chemistry between Lenora and Aiden increases, they share a passionate kiss by the River Avon, and Lenora feels it is the beginning of a new forever—until she learns that Aiden has withheld an important detail about his life that changes everything.

Lenora closes her heart to him, and Aiden, caught between his obligation and his heart, must do what he can to make amends. And Lenora, after years of hiding from everyone and everything, faces a decision only she can make.

My Review:

I noticed this title pop up on social media, so I wanted to get my hands on a copy. I had read and enjoyed The Vicar’s Daughter.

This story continues with Lenora’s story. She’s not residing in Bath with her Aunt Gwen and teaching music as a school for girl. Lenora is also naive and is now sneaking out dressed as a man to sit by the river at night, which has become her place of solitude. Her false sense of security is shattered when a stranger catches her at the river. Their paths cross again at the school, and Lenora’s quiet life becomes quite a challenge. Will she rise to it, or run away again when things become too hard?

I loved this book. You really got a sense of Lenora’s personality, and found her admirable. I also liked Aiden and his niece Catherine, and I rooted for them to find their happy ever after.

When Evangeline is sent to live in a small mill town in Northern England as a schoolteacher in 1871, she finds herself struggling to fit in with an unfamiliar culture. Raised with the high-class Victorian values and ideals of a sophisticated upbringing, she is unprepared for the poverty she finds in the gritty factory town of Smeatley, where the locals speak with a hard-to-understand Yorkshire accent and struggle to thrive with few resources or opportunities.

Though she has no training as a teacher, she must prove herself successful before her grandfather will release her substantial inheritance to her and allow her to be reunited with her younger sister, the last remaining member of her family after a fever claimed the lives of her parents and brothers.

Evangeline’s sudden change in circumstances is complicated when her aunt—a woman who values class distinctions more than her family relationships—forbids her from acknowledging any connection to her or to her grandfather, Mr. Farr—the man who owns nearly the entire town. For the first time in her life, Evangeline is truly alone.

Heartbroken, she turns to the one person in town who has shown her kindness—an Irish brick mason, Dermot, and his son, Ronan. Despite the difference in their classes and backgrounds, Evangeline and Dermot become friends, due in part to her ability to connect with Ronan, whose behavior requires special attention. The boy is uncomfortable around strangers and rarely even speaks to the other children in town. He often fixates on details other people ignore, and he adheres to specific, self-made rules that give his life order and structure; for example, Dermot’s coat must be hung on a specific peg next to the door.

Evangeline attempts to prove herself a worthy teacher and earn the respect of her hard-to-understand students. Determined to find a way to introduce them to “proper English” while still honoring their unique language and culture, she enlists the help of a local family to write down familiar stories in the Yorkshire vernacular. Because of her efforts, the students and their families warm to Evangeline and she continues to look for ways to give the children a chance to become more than factory workers in the local cotton mill.

When the town learns of her upper-class status, Evangeline must work twice as hard to win back their trust–especially Dermot’s. In the end, Evangeline and Dermot discover that, even though they come from different social spheres, together they can overcome social prejudices, make a positive difference in the lives of even the humblest people, and enjoy the strength that comes when two hearts find each other.

Ashes on the Moor is the inspiring love story of one Victorian woman’s courage to fight against all odds, and the man whose quiet strength gives her the confidence to keep trying.

My Review

This book was just what I needed. I love those stories that settle in and just absorb you. And Ashes on the Moor by Sarah M. Eden is exactly that.

From the first page to the last, this lovely story of love and family will enchant readers.

I quickly came to love Evangeline, Dermont, and Ronan. Evangeline and her sister Lucy have lost their entire family. Then they are, with out much in the way of explanation or warning, separated from each other. Already broken hearts are needlessly smashed.

The first person outside of her cold aunt and distant uncle that Evangeline meets in her new town is Dermont McCormick, and his son Ronan. Little by little Evangeline and Dermont become friends, and Evangeline bonds with Ronan–who was so much like the brother she lost. In one endearing moment, Ronan states that they should keep her. (If you hadn’t got misty eyed yet reading this, this scene is bound to do it.)

I enjoyed on Evangeline and Dermont’s relationship built slowly over time.

I received an ARC from Shadow Mountain.

Expected publication: March 6th 2018 by Shadow Mountain

Don’t miss out. You can go to Goodreads here to add this to your reading list.

This book both caught my interest, and had me wondering how could it possibly have a happy ending. I like happy endings.

I didn’t start off loving it. On the contrary, I had trouble liking Cassie. She had a decided selfish streak, even though she convinced herself she was pretending to be her sister, for her sister’s sake. Yet, but the end, I loved this book. I loved the change in Cassie, and her sister. And I loved Evan, out of place Evan, honorable Evan.

I like many of the Proper Romance Regencies from Shadow Mountain. (Edenbrooke, anyone?) Ms. Kilpack sometimes is a bit on the racier side with the steamy kisses (and this book has steam a plenty for our young lovers). Characters go through tremendous growth. They are very real.

This is a beautiful story about God’s grace, family love, being sisters, and learning to accept your own flaws and limitations.